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Swat Valley Blues

By Eric Etheridge February 18, 2009 4:14 pmFebruary 18, 2009 4:14 pm

On Monday, the government of Pakistan announced it had cut a deal with Taliban forces and would quit fighting them for control of the Swat Valley, northwest of Islamabad, and accept their imposition of Shariah, or Islamic law, there. (Read the Times account.)

Reaction from opinion mongers was virtually all negative, extremely so. At Swampland, Joe Klein said “This is terrible news.”

The Pakistani government has essentially given control of the Swat Valley to the Taliban. It means that the Taliban are now 100 miles from Islamabad and the military center of Rawalpindi. It also means that Pakistan’s Northwest Province is well on its way to becoming what Afghanistan used to be–a sanctuary for Al Qaeda and related terrorists. The most infuriating aspect of this development is that the Swat Valley residents were apparently looking for a simple government service that Islamabad could not provide–a justice system.

First, the agreement to impose sharia isn’t limited to just Swat, but to the entire Malakand Division, a region made up districts of Malakand, Shangla, Buner, Dir, and Chitral. This is nearly 1/3 of the entire Northwest Frontier Province being ceded to the Taliban.

Second, Mullah Fazlullah has been running Swat since the spring of 2007. Swat has been lost for almost two years. The agreement only codifies the harsh reality on the ground in Swat, where Fazlullah’s jackboots murder dancers, musicians, CD shop owners, and others who disgrace his warped view of Islam. Expanding this rule elsewhere will be devastating to the people of the northwest. The people of Swat know what Fazlullah’s sharia looks like. Just read the Paksitani press and you’ll see they don’t like it much. Nearly 300,000 Swatis, more than 15 percent of the population, fled the region since 2007. . . .

Fifth, the agreement proves that the Pakistani military is unable to defeat the Taliban, at least in the eyes of the Taliban. The Army and Frontier Corps launched three operation to clear the Taliban from Swat. Each time they made bold pronouncements. Each time they failed.

Perhaps this is just a time for both Pakistani soldiers and the Taliban to take a knee ahead of the next confrontation. But in the meantime, [Taliban leader] Beitullah Massoud is going to use his new Swat Valley safe haven to launch attacks against [President Asif Ali] Zardari’s government — based barely 100 miles away — and to allow extremists a place to regroup before exfiltrating to neighboring Afghanistan to fight U.S., NATO and Afghan forces. And his allies will consolidate their hold on Swat by murdering the opposition, as they’ve been doing: the Times notes that Swat elected a secular party in last year’s elections, but the Taliban started assassinating its members and supporters. This is how a nuclear-armed country slips into failed-statehood.

I know it looks like a setback but I suspect this might be a smart move. Give the people of Swat sharia law, and see how they like it. Meanwhile, bolster your security forces in the area so they can pick up the ball when the Taliban has sufficiently alienated the populace. Risky? Sure. But better than losing Swat altogether.

This development virtually negates the United States efforts in Afghanistan. Taliban does not have any specific affinity for Afghanistan. All they want is safe haven where they can unleash their maniac laws. Whether it is Swat or Kabul, its immaterial for them. Its the worst setback for war against terror in recent years.

There isn’t much difference between Taliban, ISI, army or govt. in Pakistan, when you can swap one for the other. It is essentially a country of 2-states (punjab and sindh), rest of it (FATA, NWFP, balochistan) was never under any constitutional authority and was always under mullahs/jirgas etc. Just a completely failed state exporting of terror all over the world and feeding on US taxpayers alms.

This is purely a practical move on the part of the Pakistani Army. Their recent campaigns in Swat and NWFP have made them realize that they are hopelessly under-prepared to engage in a guerrilla-style against the Taliban. Them seem to be buying time to re-strategize.

I think Mr. Ricks is overly optimistic. The rational people in Swat already hate the Taliban, and it seems like most people with the ability to leave have done so. Letting the Taliban strengthen themselves in Swat will only make them more difficult to dislodge eventually, and the Pakistani military shows no signs of improving its position in the meantime.

I don’t think there’s any way around it, this horrible deal proves that Pakistan is unwilling and unable to confront its terrorist Taliban, and so when the state of Pakistan finally collapses, rooting out the Taliban is going to be a long and arduous process. Until then we can expect a constant increase in terrorist attacks in the region and beyond.

Or maybe we’ll get lucky and India will be provoked to annhilate the Taliban regions completely, which would be a huge benefit to the world.

From what I have read, Islam does not allow suicide. Can the Pakistani Government get assurance from the Taliban that they will put an end to suicide bombing and that would be a pre-condition to the agreement?

This exemplifies the madness of the “Manifest Destiny” policy; We can try to make our ideas supreme, but only by eradicating the native cultures. We were aware as far back as the Jacksonian era of the inherent risks meddling in foreign cultures.It’s a violation of Constitutional principles. Let them learn from us if they choose, as long as it does not endanger our security or that of our alies. This proselitizing and interference in the right of self-determination by foreign entities not only fails its purpose, it energizes the barbarians. We can live well and safely, even if we mind our own business! We could remain in occupation for decades, and snapback would still occur.

“Give the people of Swat sharia law and see how they like it.”
What does that mean? Why would they like it? Why would anyone even suggest that this be an option? The depth of the insensitivity of this quote is mind numbing. Absolutely mind numbing.

DEAL WITH CRIMINALS !!!!!
M Waqar New York
Another shameful day for Pakhtuns by those who shamefully bowed to the murderers of innocent people in Swat. Bad news that the government has given in to demands of the militants in Swat…they say that (Nizam-i-Adl ) is to be imposed in Malakand/Swat now…thus giving in to the mullahs by the authorities…a black day, sad and shameful…how could you let murderers and criminals to have their way like this. I am not against if people in Swat legally through election or referendum demanded for such laws but unfortunately these laws are imposed on them by a bunch of ignorant who killed and treated people of Swat like they were not Muslims and even real Islam of Mohammad (PBUH) will not allow actions of Taliban. What is the educational background of Mullah Sufi, Fazlullah or Baitullah Mesud. Are they Islamic scholars? On the other hand instead of crushing them for killing innocents they’re being rewarded by giving in to their medieval, absurd, and contorted demands. So-called leaders of Pakhtuns and Pakistani regime surrendered to criminals and killers of Pakhtuns. This is indeed a shameful day, when the elected representatives of the Swat people were ignored and the state put under the tender mercy of those who wear the mask of “Islam” and “Shariah” to hide their power-grab. Will these mullahs and ignorant Taliban leaders be punished for killing so many people, destroying busnises and destroying schools? Will they be punished for using bombs and suicide bombers for imposing their views on majority? Are these religious leaders going to build those schools they destroyed? What will they do for all those people who were forced to leave Sawt, their homes, kids could not go to schools for months? Do they have any plan for those kids’ future or they want them to join Taliban club of ignorance. Pakistani elite, bourgeious and corrupt politicians are as much responsible for Pakhtuns’ destruction and death as Taliban and their leaders are responsible.

If you are a fan of invading Pakistan, this is a great development. It seems to give the Pakistani central government polical cover to allow US to do operations into Pakistani terroritory. Next up Iran… who’s with me…?

The area that comprises Afghanistan, Pakistan, and surrounding countries is a remnant of the colonial era. The Taliban should not be destroyed, but rather contained. A new country should be carved out of the areas that traditionally were comprised of related tribes. Offer the leaders of the tribes the right to self determination in exchange for their respect of the territorial integrity of the land outside their new nation.

Are their beliefs archaic – Yes. Would we tolerate these in our countries – No. We should allow the game to play itself out – with a strong military just outside the new borders. Containment is costly, but it is also unifying – for both sides. Surprising things happen when societies are allowed to naturally evolve.

Pakistan sent its huge army to its Eastern border with India in Kashmir to “teach Indians a lesson” only a year ago. Why can it not send the same army to the Swat valley to teach a lesson to the Taliban and catch the two goons: Mullah Fazlullah and Beitullah Massoud? Without any more delay, Pakistan’s Prime Minister should send his entire army to take over the Swat valley.

If Pakistan falls to the Taliban, the Muslim fanatics will be in possession of the nuclear weapons to terrorize the western governments and non-Islamic states. Pakistan is rapidly becoming the capital of terrorists; it is a real threat to world peace; Iran is not. And yet why is President Obama’s administration, especially Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, so obsessed with Iran, the way George Bush was obsessed with Saddam?

Why do big governments never get tired of trying to conquer Afghanistan – and failing? Think Britain, the Soviet Union, and now the U.S./Nato.

After 911 the U.S. could have allied with the Taliban against al-Qaeda — working with an awful government, but the de facto government of the country. If that had happened, al-Qaeda and Bin Laden could not have survived in the area.

Such an alliance might still make sense, if leaders and talking heads could think instead of just fighting their way into a quagmire. Al-Qaeda is clearly a disaster for Afghanistan. And the Taliban want to free their own country of foreign occupation and bombing – not to attack overseas.

Hitler was a altar boy and the SS the boy scouts compared to the Taliban. This is more dangerous than Afghanistan and Iraq combined.
ad # 15: Never make a deal with the devil. Chamberlain showed us what happens next.

Time to send in Delta & SEALS to grab Pakistan’s nukes and once safely secured, then greenlight India to annex/subdue Pakistan. Why invade Pakistan ourselves when we can outsource the job to India. Pakistan is only going to get worse, and it’s time to do the deed that should’ve been done pretty shortly after 9/11.

US and NATO military operations in this region have very seriously exacerbated the already longstanding regional tensions and rivalries in Afghanistan and Pakistan western border areas of which the Swat Valley is a part.

Both the US and NATO which is in any case US-dominated, should get out now.

Q. Your US drone can spot so-called militants from the air because they are wearing T for Taliban or Q for Al Queda T shirts?
When families who already have so little, lose fathers, mothers and children to US/NATO operations there is bound to be longterm bitterness and revenge.

The US is almost certainly under-reporting civilian casualties in Swat and adjoining areas..

Let the various local fractious factions sort out their differences (which go back centuries), without the self-proclaimed superpower futilely flexing its muscle in the region.

The flow of money, weapons and equipment into the region from various sources including the US, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iran needs to be monitored and stanched. The UN has not done any weapons monitoring and it should.

The worrying question is — who will proactively ensure that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons will not fall into the hands of the Taliban now dangerously poised within striking distance of Islamabad? Again, the UN must be proactive rather than merely reactive to US demands based on its narrow interests, in the Security Council.
Chithra KarunaKaran
Ethical Democracy As Lived Practice//EthicalDemocracy.blogspot.com

I’m sorry Mr Waqar, but if anyone besides the Taliban are to blame for the actions of the Taliban, then it is those whose faith has given them theological cover. The mental disconnect between believers who aren’t extremists and those who are is almost complete as far as I can tell.

Mecca is still the place to make the Haj, nevermind the mullahs who hang around Islam’s holiest shrine on the lookout for impressionable young zealots to recruit for suicide bombings. Just keep walking. Christianity has yet to recover from the backlash for having spoken out too softly and too late against all manner of extremism. Central America. Nazi Germany. The sex abuse scandals. The list is very long. Even the current Pope used to belong to Hitler Youth, and not many Catholics seem to care. Imagine if the Grand Ayatullah Al Sastani had belonged to Al Queda as a young man. I know it isn’t possible, but would you be crestfallen? I think not.

Middle Eastern Islam doesn’t seem to be willing to embrace universal human rights because that, by definition, puts them in conflict with the actions of Hezbollah, Hamas, Fatah, Al Queda, the Mahdi Army, the Taliban, and the whole crop of fanatics who insist on redefining Islam using wire cutters and blasting caps. To one degree or another the death cult that is now firmly rooted in Islamic countries serves a horrible, but very useful purpose. It shifts power onto the plate of the those who are willing to use it. By its nature, terror trumps everything, including reason. As they say, there’s no seeing through blood. That for the first time it just occurred to me that this post could actually get me killed if I used my full name is your proof. Mainstream Islam has terrorized the world by proxy. And the United States has responded by terrorizing Iraq and Afghanistan by proxy (illegal use of United States Army for unproviked aggression against a sovereign nation.) Extreme violence is offered as a “solution” to the problem of extremism. Surely this irony hasn’t escape the greatest minds of our generation. How could it?

In this regard, support for my government’s response is the moral equivalent of support for mainstream Islam’s silence toward their own extremists. (I stopped supporting our government’s military response to 9/11 on March 13th, 2003.) And started speaking out against it publicly and in print a couple years later. I’m a little slow, and a bit too patriotic sometimes.

Until Islam builds institutions that actually respect people’s humanity without conditions, they will not be able to counter the Taliban or Al Queda or even the crazy mullah down the street who is blinded by his hatred of the Jews. What those institutions look like I don’t know but that sure would be a great use for all that oil money. Maybe a few “diplomacy madrasas” could be built , or is that idea too threatening, too good a target for a suicide bomber?

This certainly is not the first major world religion to run off the rails, but that’s no reason not to pay close attention and speak out against violence and those whose beliefs excuse violence. It’s always our individual humanity that gets trampled when we don’t stand up for our collective humanity. If only we put the same energy towards creating dignity for our brothers and sisters in this life as we put towards creating dignity for ourselves in the next.

Why is it always seventy-two virgins (the Islamist equivalent of four years of free college at the university of your choice?) Because that’s exactly how humiliated our average suicide bomber/army recruit probably feels the day before he contacts his or her recruiter. Clearly they’re not ready to die for Allah/God if they only want one virgin, or could actually be happy flipping burgers.

If terror is an acceptable tool of statecraft for emerging Islamist states (diplomacy by yet another means…) what’s next? Really. What’s around the corner from where we are now? The failure of my imagination is clearly still fertile ground for some rough beast.

The US and the West have values, processes, and information that would be helpful to the area, and the material and moral success of the West, even if blemished by recent events, is some evidence of that. The US can and should be an example of how a society and country can exist of, by, and for the people.

This is hardly a basis for invading foreign countries. If the Afghans and Pakistanis want a Sharia law, or are too timid to oppose it, they have to live with the consequences. We cannot do their thinking or their fighting for them, and it means nothing, and accomplishes nothing, if we try to do that.

BUT: all this madness is financed and possibly caused by something, by someone, or some group outside the area, and the US and the West may have some damaging input into that equation. Put aside the argument of who “created” the Taliban, and why, because that entity has long since changed into something else altogether, and certainly now serves other interests.

The US needs to undo, or correct, if it can, whatever factors outside of the area make this unpleasant process go forward. Clearly in one sense it is the market for opium, and in another way there is the funding by Saudi religious extremists and their charities. Clearly the Saudi funding is a result of the uncontrolled use of oil and the high price of oil. The opium battle is the result of a poorly thought strategy in the “war” on illegal drugs: a war which seems to be about as legitimate, from a constitutional standpoint, and as effective, as the war on terror.

These issues external to the area are within the control of the US and the West and possibly even within the interests and control of the neighboring states. If the West can deal with those elements of the problems, eliminating the harmful effects in the area that they cause, perhaps the residents and citizens in the area can then get to resolving their own issues in ways that make more sense in the modern world.

The bad things happening in Afghanistan and Pakistan are symptoms of other problems, and the causes need to be dealt with, as well as the symptoms.

Pakistan is a much thornier problem than either Iraq or Afghanistan. To call the current government our allies in the war on terror is to engage in misleading euphemism. They are at best playing a double game, essentially attempting to extort as much aid from the U.S. as possible while “controlling” an extremist movement that is interpenetrated with not just the ISI but the entire state. Pakistan’s leaders can get away with this because they know that the other options confronting the U.S. are even worse than the present situation. In five years time, I pray we aren’t dealing with a nuclear armed failed state.

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